GCSEs 2012 support thread

[Kez100]

Here we go........hold on tight!

Dd sat the AQA physics paper yesterday with similar comments about question difficulty. She remarked that one question asked about the ethics of testing products on animals which none of them could readily connect to the physics course. Surely that type of question would be more aligned to a biology paper if any? Fortunately she has covered ethics in her GCSE psychology course so was able to answer the question intelligently. Throwing in questions like this I believe to be unfair.

Hold your nerve everyone. It's not long and I think this break will be a great help. Ds is on a safety boat course for these two days and then it's back to knuckling down for the last 3 exams.
Summer111 ds tells me, for them the animal testing question was in the aqa biology paper. And the short answer is, only when there is no alternative and benefits to humans.

we have ICT today and DD has woken up feeling sick and faint, she's not really looking forward to doing this feeling ill but she will just have to push through, i feel so bad for her because she has spent so much time revising ICT

hope it goes well mumstoast and all the hard work pays off.

DS said the physics paper was alright. But I don't set much store by that TBH. There were 2 questions he didn't understand - one was about what was wrong with the experiment and he couldn't remember the other He got C's in the first 3 science modules so I'm not expecting miracles.

Nothing for DD til 11th June now! So we're about to go shopping for summer dresses!

It's DS's last proper day at school today . They all have printed leaver's T shirts and have spent the last two days signing year books and taking photos.
They have done a year book for their tutor which says wonderful things about her.
There will be tears........

Hope the ICT went OK Mumstoast. And all the other exams today - Further Maths, I know, was one.

First full day off here and my daughter has just chilled out while I went to work :( She showed me her Headteacher commendation certificates last night and a lovely letter written to her by her Drama teacher. I feel a very proud Mum.

DD is back to her happy self again, we've got family down for the weekend and we are off to see Elton John in concert on Sunday. Yippee!

All the best for those still working hard.

ds1 said ICT paper today was OK, so he's come home quite chilled ... For once!

THat's lovely, Kez. I feel DD and her friends have been 'done out' of a last day. Many of them are leaving and since they weren't given study leave they have just petered out, so to speak. THey will almost all be in for the two maths exams after the holiday, but some have already got the grade they wanted and aren't resitting. It's such a rite of passage, leaving compulsory education, and the school has made it a non-event.

Well done all you mums that have been helping your DC - we all deserve a bit of a breather. I can see my DS is relaxing - playing footie in the park with friends. He's taking Saturday off too - then back to the grindstone with History and DT.

On the whole I've been proud how he's had a pretty positive approach - not too many nerves. I feel my DD in Yr 7 will be a bit more uptight - I'll have to try and chill her.

I agree cardibach. DD's school even brought forward the start of exam leave unexpectedly. I know why they do it - to avoid the petty vandalism which is certainly a risk at her school. However it is sad for those who have worked hard for 5 years.

DD had her leaving assembly today. They were presented with a leatherlook bound folder, with gold writing on the front as their record of achievement.

It had their work experience reports in and certificate and their last ever school report.

I have today decided, on the strenght of the absolutely fantastic words written by DD's teachers, that I couldn't care less about 23rd August! Things like model student, confident, asset to the school and she will go far, are more important than A*'s! She's already secured Maths and English through early entry, so anything else is a bonus.

I am one proud parent this evening. Wish I could share this with DD other than with a text - she hasn't been home since she dropped off her school bag and I'm not likely to see her until teatime tomorrow!

A number of ds's teachers have given them little parties during their last lessons this week. And he came home today with a number of little cards with nice messages on, saying things like what a pleasure he's been to teach and relating anecdotes. One or two even made personalised cupcakes for them.
I'm so pleased and grateful the teachers found the time to do this during such a busy and stressful time for them too.

DS's school has a prize giving for year 11 very early in September, and their prom isn't until the end of this month. But he did miss the leavers assembly as he had a d&v bug.

Btw the ethics question seems to have been on AQA P2 not P3.

ds's school do have a 'Leavers Lunch' after the exams have finished, but it is on a date when quite a few of their school will be away doing 'The Challenge'
It's not too big a deal for him as he (and many of his friends) are staying into the 6th form, but it does seem a shame. Also a little bit sad they don't have a kind of 'final assembly' like MaureenMLove's dd's school. I'd love to go along to something like that...... indeed, I might suggest it at the next parents group meeting - too late for me, but some other parent might appreciate it in the future

Dd's school have a leavers assembly after all the exams are finished then the prom on the Friday of that week. There was the usual leaving high jinks yesterday,according to DD as the yr11 left for the start of study leave. Those who haven't sat their option subject yet will be back in school for two mornings a week. DD yr10 thinks she'll be in right up until the end of June next year as her option subject for yr11 has late exams.

DD is having the weekend off - she's gone to a street dance event today and is going to a festival in the park tomorrow. Then it's back to the "grindstone" on Monday revising for Maths the week they go back.

DD's ICT exam went well. She's off to an Anarchy in the UK picnic lunch today. Sounds jolly.

They had a leavers assembly yesterday and DS says he shook hands with all his teachers. Lots of them wrote lovely comments in his year book.
Then there will be the prom at the end of June.
Parties this weekend then down to RE revision on Tuesday.

Judging by the lack of posts, everyone is having a stress free weekend! Hope you are all enjoying. DD at her dad's until Wednesday, and when she comes back we will have to get on with Maths revision - finishing straight now, as the two Maths exams are her last GCSEs.

Yes, all is sweetness and light here. DD has a bit of a long stretch still ahead:

2 History papers next week. German & Statistics on the same day the following week then German again the week after (during induction for 6th form).

I hope everyone is enjoying the break!

Not quite on the home straight here but are powering through! Yesterday DS spent the whole day in bed bless him and he was just so exhausted from a combination of the last few weeks and a rowing comp he was at on saturday. He seems to be back to himself now though and got on with a good chunk of revision today. Hope everyone (and their DC) are having a good half term :)

There has been so much going on, we've almost forgotten exams here!

We went to see Elton John last night. An outside concert and it rained so much, we were soaked and freezing! But he is an absolute showman and the concert was fantastic. Back to back hits for two and a half hours- lots of dancing in the aisles.

We've had so much on to do and the place has been packed, which is good to see (all our jobs rely somewhat on tourism here). Looking forward to seeing the beacon lit tonight.And I can watch Elton again but in the warm. Result!

That is wonderful Kez. Weather conditions like last night's you want one of the old performers to get everyone going.

A complete break here for my DD too. We went to Coldplay last night so Latin and Geography didn't get a look in!

Back to the books tomorrow, I think.